


When I Hear That You Won't See Me

by zombified_queer



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Introspection, Pining, Post episode s05ep07 "Let He Who Is Without Sin...", one-sided
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 09:18:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14974061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombified_queer/pseuds/zombified_queer
Summary: Rom. Of all people, she choseRom.





	When I Hear That You Won't See Me

He can see her anytime he wants and all he has to do is go down to the bar— _his_ bar, he has to remind himself sternly—but seeing her in person isn't the issue. 

The issue started on Risa (and Quark wishes it had stayed on Risa), when Leeta said she was interested in Rom—Rom, of all the people on the station and he's seen the way Klingons take an interest in her and he's pretty sure if Morn was the type, Morn would have had a matching set of Lurian bonding pendant made up, but she's chosen _Rom_ —and things have changed. She's more open about the way she sasses him and it's not the Cardassian-flirtation kind of sass. Her favourite sentence has become "Do it yourself," something she told him the last time he tried to gently persuade—because extortion is a crime, swear on the Rules of Acquisition and the Federation lawbooks and even on Odo's bucket—her into oo-mox.

She does have nice hands, delicate but strong.

No one does oo-mox like Leeta does oo-mox and it's being wasted on Rom. Or not wasted, given the way Rom dances around her like a skittish vole on ketacel white on a hot tin roof. And all that talent, that grace and power, is wasted on Rom and his goodnight kisses at her door like Ro's never touched a woman even though his son is old enough now to be taking on a proper apprenticeship.

She's better than best: she's perfect. 

None of the other dabo girls can be as gentle when gentle is needed or grasp just right. Not Allura. Not Ziva. Not Ishea, not Maira, not T'rel. Leeta's the best with her hands and knows just what to do with her mouth.

But, watching her at the dabo table, her d'ja pagh glinting in the fluorescent strobing of the table, the fabric of her near skin-tight dress shimmering in the dim light of the bar, Quark knows it would never work out and only end messier than a couple of drunk Klingons in a holosuite overriding the safeties. She wants commitment and faith, not Ferengi traditions and laws. She wants gentleness and Quark knows war is better for business. 

"You look distracted brother," Rom says, almost conspiratorially as he leans over the bar toward Quark, "and you're staring."

"I'm making sure no one's trying to cheat at that dabo table," Quark snaps, not looking away from Leeta—and it is Leeta he’s staring at, not the table. "Get back to work, Rom."


End file.
